Enhanced taping machine and operating method thereof

Abstract

Disclosed is a box taping machine equipped with a conveying mechanism for boxes and one or more tape applicators. The taping machine can be manually or automatically adjusted, with or without flap folding. A conveying unit displaces boxes along a sliding plane, moved by an actuator controlled by a drive, with a tape applicator positioned above the plane. A passage sensor detects the moving position of at least a vertical surface of the boxes and outputs sensor signals. A programmable logic unit interfaces with the passage sensor and drive, computing a current position of front and rear vertical surfaces based on the sensor signal, and an actuator control function acts on the drive controlling the actuator, the actuator control function being variable in time based on the current position of front and rear vertical surfaces of the boxes. A retrofit kit and corresponding method are also disclosed.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A taping machine comprising:
 a conveying system which defines a sliding plane, the conveying system being configured to convey a plurality of boxes to be sealed with adhesive tape, the conveying system comprising:
 a conveyor configured to displace said boxes, the conveyor being set in motion by an actuator controlled by a drive, 
 a tape applicator provided above said sliding plane, the tape applicator configured to apply sealing adhesive tape on said plurality of boxes during displacement thereof, the tape applicator including at least an inlet applicator roller and an outlet applicator roller configured to contact a surface of said boxes during application of the adhesive tape, 
 a passage sensor fixed with respect to said sliding plane, the passage sensor being configured to detect a moving position of at least one vertical surface of said boxes and to output a respective sensor signal, and 
 programmable logic interfaced with the passage sensor and said drive, 
 
 wherein a current position of both a front vertical surface of the at least one vertical surface and a rear vertical surface of the at least one vertical surface of said boxes is computed based on said sensor signal, 
 wherein the programmable logic includes an actuator control function implemented to act on said drive controlling the actuator, 
 wherein said actuator control function is variable in time based on said current position of both said front vertical surface and said rear vertical surface of said boxes and to operate the taping machine by:
 conveying the plurality of boxes to be sealed with the adhesive tape on said sliding plane by the conveyor toward the tape applicator to apply the sealing adhesive tape on said plurality of boxes during the displacement thereof, 
 detecting a front vertical surface of a respective one of the boxes by the passage sensor, and 
 computing a position of the front vertical surface of the respective box along a path by determining a reduction ramp in a speed profile of the actuator, when the front vertical surface of the respective box is detected by the passage sensor, and 
 
 wherein a conveying feed speed profile of said respective box is:
 (i) varied after said front vertical surface of the respective box comes into contact with said inlet applicator roller and a point of application of the adhesive tape exceeds a transition edge with a horizontal side, returning to a level of a maximum speed by an ascending ramp, 
 (ii) varied again when the current position of a rear vertical surface of the respective box almost reaches the position of said outlet applicator roller, having a reduction ramp, to a minimum speed value up to an end point of application of said adhesive tape, and 
 (iii) then, when the respective box moves away from the tape applicator, the conveying feed speed profile has a new ascending ramp toward the maximum speed. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The taping machine as in  claim 1 , wherein said sensor signal coming from the passage sensor is used by said programmable logic to determine said current position of the front and rear vertical surfaces of said plurality of boxes with respect to the inlet applicator roller and the outlet applicator roller of said tape applicator, respectively. 
     
     
       3. The taping machine as in  claim 1 , wherein said conveying feed speed profile has the reduction ramp and the ascending ramp between the maximum speed and a transit speed, said maximum speed being used before and after said box is engaged by said tape applicator and said transit speed being used at least when said front and/or rear vertical surface is close to the point of application of the adhesive tape by said tape applicator. 
     
     
       4. A retrofit kit for a taping machine, the retrofit kit comprising:
 a passage sensor configured to be fixedly mounted with respect to a sliding plane of the taping machine, the passage sensor being configured to detect the movable position of at least a vertical surface of a plurality of boxes and to output a respective sensor signal; and 
 a preconfigured electronic board implementing a programmable logic configured to be interfaced with said passage sensor and a drive of an actuator controlling a motion of a conveyor of said boxes, 
 wherein said programmable logic is configured so that a current position of both a front vertical surface and a rear vertical surface of said boxes is computed based on said sensor signal, 
 wherein an actuator control function is implemented to act on said drive of the actuator, said actuator control function being variable in time based on said current position of both the front vertical surface and the rear vertical surface of said boxes to operate the taping machine by:
 conveying the plurality of boxes to be sealed with adhesive tape on said sliding plane by the conveyor toward a tape applicator to apply sealing adhesive tape on said plurality of boxes during displacement thereof, the tape applicator including at least an inlet applicator roller and an outlet applicator roller configured to contact a surface of said boxes during application of the adhesive tape, 
 detecting a front vertical surface of a respective one of the boxes by the passage sensor, and 
 computing a position of the front vertical surface of the respective box along a path by determining a reduction ramp in a speed profile of the actuator, when the front vertical surface of the respective box is detected by the passage sensor, and 
 
 wherein a conveying feed speed profile of said respective box is:
 (i) varied after said front vertical surface of the respective box comes into contact with said inlet applicator roller and a point of application of the adhesive tape exceeds a transition edge with a horizontal side, returning to a level of a maximum speed by an ascending ramp, 
 (ii) varied again when the current position of a rear vertical surface of the respective box almost reaches the position of said outlet applicator roller, having a reduction ramp, to a minimum speed value up to an end point of application of said adhesive tape, and 
 (iii) then, when the respective box moves away from the tape applicator, the conveying feed speed profile has a new ascending ramp toward the maximum speed. 
 
 
     
     
       5. An operating method of a taping machine including a conveying system which defines a sliding plane and being configured to convey a plurality of boxes to be sealed with adhesive tape, the conveying system including a conveyor configured to displace the boxes and being set in motion by an actuator controlled by a drive, a tape applicator provided above the sliding plane and configured to apply sealing adhesive tape on the plurality of boxes during displacement thereof, and a passage sensor fixed with respect to the sliding plane and being configured to detect a moving position of at least one vertical surface of the boxes and to output a respective sensor signal, the method, comprising:
 conveying the plurality of boxes to be sealed with the adhesive tape on the sliding plane by the conveying the sealing mechanism toward the tape applicator to apply adhesive tape on said plurality of boxes during the displacement thereof, said tape applicator including at least an inlet applicator roller and an outlet applicator roller configured to contact a surface of said boxes during application of the adhesive tape; 
 detecting a front vertical surface of a respective one of the boxes by the passage sensor; and 
 computing a position of the front vertical surface of the respective box along a path by determining a reduction ramp in a speed profile of the actuator, when the front vertical surface of the respective box is detected by the passage sensor, 
 wherein a conveying feed speed profile of said respective box is: 
 (i) varied after said front vertical surface of the respective box comes into contact with said inlet applicator roller and a point of application of the adhesive tape exceeds a transition edge with a horizontal side, returning to a level of a maximum speed by an ascending ramp, 
 (ii) varied again when the current position of a rear vertical surface of the respective box almost reaches the position of said outlet applicator roller, having a reduction ramp, to a minimum speed value up to an end point of application of said adhesive tape, and 
 (iii) then, when the respective box moves away from the tape applicator, the speed profile has a new ascending ramp toward the maximum speed. 
 
     
     
       6. The operating method as in  claim 5 , wherein a current position of both the front vertical surface and the rear vertical surface is detected by the passage sensor, and
 a condition in which one of said boxes is in contact with said inlet applicator roller and said outlet applicator roller leaves the contact with said one box is determined based on said current position detected by the passage sensor.